Biography

Nina Simone (Eunice Waymon) is an outstanding American singer with a notoriously difficult nature, exemplary devotion to art, and many-faceted talent. She was born in Tyron, North Carolina, 21 February, 1933. As a child, she desired to play piano and had no dream to become a singer. She managed to acquire education at one of the best music schools in New York, which was a miracle for an Afro-American girl. After that, she stared her music career at night clubs. She picked the Nina Simone stage name to pay tribute to her favorite actress Simone Signoret. Once she had tried playing piano and singing at the same time, she decided to combine them every time she gave a concert. Soon the audience could watch Nina as an actress, singer, dancer and pianist in one. Bethlehem Records noticed the young talented girl and offered her a contract. She began an active recording work and released one album after another. It was classic jazz that she used for basis of her music with skilful addition of elements of many other trends. In 1959 Nina produced her first nationwide hit, I Loves You Porgy, to peak second in rhythm-and-blues charts.

The sixties were the moment of Nina’s highest glory as she releases such celebrated songs as To Be Young, Gifted and Black, I Put a Spell on You, Trouble in Mind, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, Do What You Gotta Do, and Revolution, each one leading numerous ratings. Nina Simone was always flexible when choosing a song to perform. She did not care who the author was, or what genre the song belonged to. It was the emotional side she paid attention to, its inner power drawing the listener’s and the singer’s heart. Nina was rightfully considered one of the leading civil rights activists. She knew Martin Luther King personally and felt deeply this man’s assassination. Simone recorded a number of songs devoted to this irksome issue, to condemn fearlessly and acutely the social inequality and other vices of the public. The most understanding composition among them is called Mississippi Goddam, written shortly after King’s death.

The seventies saw Nina’s music go through some changes, which was a result of her focus on pop-soul. Her albums were not as unpredictable and emotional as before. Simone could not stand racial discrimination plaguing the USA, and she decided to leave the country. At that time, she faced numerous hardships, including a divorce, conflicts with the recording companies, and financial crisis. This took its toll on Nina’s music studio activity which was less productive than in her recent past. Her new albums were of little interest to the audience. In the eighties, she worked in studio rarely and concentrated on live performances. Her name was again in the spotlight after her old song My Baby Just Cares for Me, recorded in 1959, was chosen for the Chanel commercial. Nina’s last album, A Single Woman, was released in 1993. Nina spent the nineties struggling with her health troubles, which forced her to cancel a number of performances. She lived her last years in France. Nina Simone died in 2003, aged 70, with a huge music legacy left behind and her glorious name written forever in the showbiz history.

Studio Albums

Nina Simone, At Town Hall mp3At Town Hall
2010
  • Soul Jazz
  • Vocal Jazz
  • Piano Blues
Nina Simone, Nina Simone Sings the Blues mp3Nina Simone Sings the Blues
2010
  • Soul Jazz
  • Vocal Jazz
  • Blues
  • Piano Blues
Nina Simone, Fodder on my Wings mp3Fodder on my Wings
2005
  • Jazz-Funk
  • Jazz
  • Soul Jazz
  • Vocal Jazz
Nina Simone, Nina Simone for Lovers mp3Nina Simone for Lovers
Nina Simone's vocal and piano style, a blend of jazz, folk, pop, off-Broadway hip, and many other elements, was unique. So was her take on matters of the heart. Not for nothing her fans referred to her as “Goddess”. Her interpretations of familiar lo
2005
  • Soul
  • Pop Soul
  • Jazz
  • Soul Jazz
  • Vocal Jazz
  • Electronic
  • Blues
  • Piano Blues
Nina Simone, The Amazing Nina Simone mp3The Amazing Nina Simone
2005
  • Soul Jazz
  • Vocal Jazz
Nina Simone, Silk & Soul mp3Silk & Soul
2004
  • Soul
  • Vocal Jazz
  • Piano Blues
Nina Simone, To Love Somebody mp3To Love Somebody
2004
  • Funk
  • Soul Jazz
Nina Simone, Gold mp3Gold
2003
    Nina Simone, Gin House Blues mp3Gin House Blues
    1999
    • Soul
    • Pop Soul
    • Traditional Pop
    • Jazz
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Electronic
    • Blues
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Ne me quitte pas mp3Ne me quitte pas
    1999
    • Soul
    • Pop Soul
    • Traditional Pop
    • Jazz
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Electronic
    • Blues
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, The Essential Nina Simone mp3The Essential Nina Simone
    1999
    • Soul
    • Pop Soul
    • Jazz
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Electronic
    • Blues
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Little Girl Blue mp3Little Girl Blue
    1993
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Nina's Back mp3Nina's Back
    1985
    • Funk
    • Soul
    Nina Simone, Baltimore mp3Baltimore
    1978
    • Pop Soul
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    Nina Simone, Here Comes the Sun mp3Here Comes the Sun
    1971
    • Pop Soul
    • Pop/Rock
    Nina Simone, High Priestess of Soul mp3High Priestess of Soul
    1967
    • Soul
    • Smooth Soul
    • Traditional Pop
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Let It All Out mp3Let It All Out
    1966
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    Nina Simone, Nina Simone With Strings mp3Nina Simone With Strings
    1966
    • Soul
    • Vocal Jazz
    Nina Simone, Wild Is the Wind mp3Wild Is the Wind
    1966
    • Soul
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    Nina Simone, I Put a Spell on You mp3I Put a Spell on You
    1965
    • Soul
    • Chanson
    • Vocal Jazz
    Nina Simone, Folksy Nina mp3Folksy Nina
    1964
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Blues
    Nina Simone, Forbidden Fruit mp3Forbidden Fruit
    1961
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Nina Simone and Piano! mp3Nina Simone and Piano!
    0
    • Soul
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Blues
    Nina Simone, Porgy mp3Porgy
    0
    • Soul
    • Pop Soul
    • Traditional Pop
    • Jazz
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Electronic
    • Blues
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, The Amazing... mp3The Amazing...
    0
    • Jazz
    • Blues

    Compilation albums

    Lives

    Nina Simone, Live At Montreux 1976 mp3Live At Montreux 1976
    2011
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    Nina Simone, Nina Simone in Concert mp3Nina Simone in Concert
    1964
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Nina At The Village Gate mp3Nina At The Village Gate
    1962
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Piano Blues
    Nina Simone, Nina Simone At Newport mp3Nina Simone At Newport
    1960
    • Soul Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz
    • Piano Blues

    Remixes

    Nina Simone, Remixed & Reimagined mp3Remixed & Reimagined
    2006
    • Soul
    • Acid Jazz
    • Vocal Jazz